With a bustle of packing at her hillside mansion in Honolulu that called to mind the hurried crating of pesos, gold and jewels as she evacuated Malacanang Palace in 1986, Mrs. Marcos prepared to return home to face more than 60 criminal and civil cases based on the contention that she and her husband robbed the country of billions of dollars during his 20-year rule.

"Some of our longest-term workers who have the most skill in handling rare furniture, Picassos, Old Master paintings—who really know the packing and the crating—they're talking about eliminating those jobs," he said.